Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 21 of 83

2 0 • r e s t a u r a n t d e v e l o p m e n t + d e s i g n • J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 1 8
Consultant's Take
LOUIS MASKIN
Senior Strategist
The Culinary Edge
Four Key Dining
Trends That
Impact Design
A
trend is a general direction in
which something is developing
or changing. Trends manifest
as a reaction to larger societal
movements, which are driven by shifting
consumer behaviors. We're seeing trends
come about as a result of the changing
political climate, growing environmental
concerns and an overall shift in health.
Of course, these trends are having a
major impact on restaurant design. Here
are four key trends in foodservice and
their design implications.
Convenience
It's so important to people these days
to be able to get things when they want
them and how they want them. From
a food and restaurant perspective, it's
about meeting the guest where they
want to be met. Some people want to
come into a restaurant with their fam-
ily on a Tuesday, then have their food
delivered to them on Thursday, but
prefer to pick it up and take it to go on
Saturday. But each time, they want to
have the same, consistent experience
with the brand.
Design impact: Ease of delivery,
online ordering and in-store pickup
are becoming increasingly important.
Some restaurants are designing spe-
cific spaces inside their stores that are
designated for takeout, while others are
taking it a step further and adding a
separate pickup station or area for app-
related ordering, either directly from
the consumer or for third-party delivery
pickups (via services like UberEats or
GrubHub). Sweetgreen is one concept
that I think is doing a great job at
this. The area for online order pickups
is clearly separated, away from the
in-store guest line, and features wood
or white shelves lined with beautiful
salads labeled with the guest's name
and empty beverage containers. There
is no one manning the station — it's
completely trust-based — but it's so
seamless that customers standing in
line are able to see the grab-and-go
section and think, "I might do that next
time." Not only is the pickup segrega-
tion a functional tool, but it's also an
educational opportunity.
Health + Wellness
The 1990s were driven by reductive
views of health in the form of low-fat
this and low-calorie that. In the early
to middle 2000s, we saw everything
become labeled organic and farm-to-
table. I like to say we're in the additive
era (although not in the form of chemi-
cals and preservatives, of course). We
eat avocados not only because they
taste great but also because they're
a healthy fat. We're choosing ancient
grains over plain brown rice because
they have added nutrients rather than
just extra fiber. Today, it's about whole-
some, nutritious eating that also tastes
fresh and great.
Design impact: We are still firmly
in the era of open kitchens, and in
some cases, kitchens and displays are
becoming more open than ever before.
A good example of fresh produce dis-
play and prep is Tender Greens. They
have active cooking displays, yes,
but the design is more about bounty
and showcasing seasonal ingredients.
You'll see many beautiful baskets
brimming with eggplant, heirloom